Wrench



Patented Oct. 8, 1929 -TFFICE JOE S. MCKIBBON, OF COLUMBIA, TENNESSEEWRENGH Application filed February 16, 1928. Serial no. 340,604.

This invention relates to wrenches, and more particularly to adj ustablewrenches, adapted to satisfactorily operate upon bolts, nuts, pipes, orthe like of varying sizes.

It is a major purpose of the present invention to provide a noveladjustable wrench including a stationary jaw and a movable j awassociated therewith, the movable jaw being adapted when operating upona nut, pipe, or

the like, to automatically assume an advanced position with respect tothe stationary jaw,

whereby the jaws are adapted to securely clamp upon the nut or the likethus preventing any possibility of the wrench slipping upon the same. I

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a novelwrench of the class set forth including a stationary jaw and a movablejaw, wherein all the adjustable and movable parts are entirely enclosedwhereby no grease, dirt or the like can enter therein thus to interferewith the adjustment or operation of the wrench.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a novel adjustablewrench of the class set forth which will operate as satisfactorily uponsubstantially round surfaces such as pipes, bolts or the like, as uponbolts, nutheads, etc.

It is a still further object of the invention to provide a novel wrenchof the class set forth which may be readily and conveniently adjustedand operated, which will be highly efiicient, which will be extremelyattractive in appearance, and which may be economically manufactured.Further objects of the yinvention will be hereinafter more fully setforth.

The accompanying drawings illustrate one practical wrench embodying theinvention Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of one form of wrenchconstructed in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 2 is a view in side elevation similar to Figure 1, the rollinghinge being illustrated in section.

- Figure 3 is a view in side elevation of the jaws of the wrench, partsbeing broken away to illustrate the adjusting spindle, the movable jawof the wrench being shown in ad vanced and operative position.

. Figure 4c is a detail perspective view of the connecting rolling hingedetached.

Figure 5 is a detail perspective view of the adjusting spindle detached.

Figure 6 is a view in side elevation of one of the adjusting screws uponwhich the adjusting spindle operates.

Asshown in the drawings,- in which similar reference characters refer tosimilar parts, the novel wrench which may be of any desired size,includes a stationary jaw 1, preferably forming an integral part of thehandle 2, and a movable jaw 3; both of the aws being provided 011 theirinner opposed faces with notches or serrations as is well known in theart, to assist in the secure gripping of the nut, bolt, pipe or thelike. The stationary jaw- I which is the upper jawis provided on thebottom surface thereof, and adjacent the handle proper, with anangularly disposed cut away portion or recess 4 which includes ashoulder 5 at the front end thereof and which terminates at therearthereof in a substantially, hook-like member 6. The aw 1 is furtherprovided on the upper surface thereof with a notch or recess 7 providinga seat for the fulcrum of the rolling hinge 12 as will be hereinaftermore fully described.

The bottom and movable jaw 3 is provided with an enlarged extremity8ineluding an angularly directed shoulder 9 and a. hook-like recess 10,it being noted that the jaw 3 is complcmentarily conformed with respectto the recess in the jaw 1, whereby in the inoperative position of thewrench, as illustrated in Figure 2 of the drawings, the shoulder 9 willengage with the shoulder 5 preventin further forward movement oft-he jaw3 wit 1. respect to the jaw 1.

In like manner in the operative position of the wrench, as moreparticularly illustrated in l igure 3 of the drawings, with the movablejaw in advanced position the hook-like portion 6 will engage within therecess 10 and the extremity 8 of the jaw 3 will be securely held andseated in the recess 1, thus limiting the movement of the jaw 3 withinthe recess 4- and securely retaining the said jaw in operative position.The jaw 3 further provided on the bottom surface with a recess or seat11, similar to the recess 7 and oppositely directed with respectthereto, adapted for engagement with a pin or the like upon the rollinghinge 12.

c Any desired means might be provided for urging and maintaining the jaw3 in inoperative and retracted position. Preferably such means comprisesa coil spring 13 having one extremity thereof housed within a recess 1%formed within the extremlty 8 of the aw 3, the opposed extremity of thespring being adapted to be seated within a notch 15 formed within therecess 4. in the stationary jaw 1. Obviously the spring 13 will tend tourge the bottom movable jaw into inoperative position, the constructionbeing such that wh n the jaws of the wrench are in engaged p0sition thespring 13 will be compressed within the recess 14:.

A connecting member or rolling hinge 12 is provided for maintaining thejaws in as sembled relationshipv with the extremity 8 of the movablejawwithin the recess d in the stationary jaw.

Preferably the hinge 12 is so conformed as to completely surround theentire cennec-- tion between the two aws, thus enclosing or housing thesame and preventing any possibility of the fouling thereof throughgrease, dirt or the like and the resultant impairment of the operationof the wrench. As illustrated more particularly in Figure 4; of thedrawings, the rolling hinge 12 preferably comprises a pair of relativelyflat opposed plates 16 sustantially circular in peripheral conformationand maintained spaced by a pair of oppositely disposed hinge pins 17 and18; the hinge pin 18 forming an integral part of an arcuate peripheralwall 19; The hinge pin 17 is adapted to engage within the recess or seat7 provided in the stationary upper jaw, while the hingepin 18 is adaptedin like manner for engagement with the recess or sent in the movablejaw.

7 It will be noted that when the jaws of the wrench are in inoperativeposition, see Figure 2 of the drawings, the arcuate wall 19 will serveto close the space between the book like member 6 of the stationary awand the recess 10 of the movable jaw. Obviously when the wrench isengaged with some object, as a bolt, nut, pipe or the like, and themovable jaw is advanced to the position illustrated in Figure 3 of thedrawings, the hinge 12 will pivot into proper position upon its fulcrumor hinge pin 17.

In the advancement of the movable jaw from the position illustrated inFigure 2 to the position illustrated in Figure 8 of the drawings, theextremity 8 of the aw 3 rides upon the angularly disposed upper wall ofthe recess 4 in the jaw 1 until the jaw 3 reaches the limit of itsmovement where it is securely seated and held in position, the hook-likeportion 6 engaging the recess 10 and the extremity 8 snugly fitting thecomplement-arily conformed portion of the recess 4. In like manner whenthe bottom aw 8 returns to inoperative position the extremity 8 thereofrides the upper wall of the recess 1 until the shoulder 9 engages theshoulder 5.

Suitable means are provided for adjusting the jaws to fit nuts, pipes,bolts or the like of varying sizes. Preferably such means con'iprises anadjusting sleeve 20 interiorly screw-threaded for engagement with a pairof adjusting screws properly seated within the jaws 1 and 3. Each of thejaws 1 and 3 is provided with a tapered bore 23 through which theadjusting screw 21 depends, and a slightly reduced seat 24 adapted toreceive the preferably oval head 22 of the adjusting screw 21, ashoulder 25 being provided between the bore 23 and the seat 24 toprevent the passing of the head of the screw, therethrough. Each seat241 is provided with a pair of opposed slots 24 adapted to receivetherein lugs or the like 22 integrally formed upon the heads of theadjusting screws 21 thus preventing any rotation of the screw within theaw in which it is mounted.

Closure members 26 are preferably provided to securely close the seats 21 after the screws have been positioned therein, thus preventing anydirt, grease or the like entering into the seat. These closures may befastened in position by any desired means as by welding or the like.

The adjusting screws are oppositely screwthreaded and in like manner theadjusting sleeve is similarly interiorly screw-threaded whereby rotationof the spindle will operate upon both screws and upon both jawssimultaneously to open or to close the same to prop erly adjust thewrench. Preferably the sleeve 20 is provided adjacent the center thereofwith a knurled thumb nut 27 to assist in the rotation thereof; theadjacent portions of the j aws 1 and 3 being cut away at 28 to assist ina more convenient operation or rotation of the thumb nutand to permitthe same to be of a size so as not to overlie the face walls ofthe awsof the wrench.

To normally maintain the aws in expanded position and thus assist in theready operation of the adjusting sleeve, a leaf spring 29 is interposedbetween the jaws 1 and 8 and has one extremity thereof secured to thejaw 1 as at 30. Preferably the otherextremity of the spring is free andengages against the jaw 3 and urges the said jaw away from the upper jawof the wrench.

The opposed engaging surfaces of the jaws it will be noted are providedwith two sets of operative surfaces, 31 and 32. The surfaces 31 are veryslightly serrated and are adapted to operate upon nuts, bolt-heads andthe like, being disposed in substantially parallel relationship. Thesurfaces 32 are slightly angularly disposed and are toothed, beingadapted to operate upon pipes, bolts, or other round surfaces.

In the operation of the wrench as first upon a nut or the like, theadjusting sleeve is first rotated to space the jaws 1 and 3 the requireddistance apart, whereupon the wrench is applied in the usual manner. Theapplying of pressure upon the handle of the wrench will then result inthe advancing of the bottom movable jaw within the recess 4 until thejaws are securely clamped upon the nut and the same may then be readilyremoved from the bolt or the like upon which it may be mounted. It willbe noted that the operative surfaces 31 remain at all times in parallelrelationship even during movement of the jaw 3 relative to the jaw 1,thus no damage or scarring may be done to the nut during themanipulation thereof by the wrench. During the advancement of the j aw-3 the adjusting spindle and screws assume a slight change in angularityto compensate for the relative movement between the jaws. During thisadvancement or movement of the bottom movable jaw 3, the opposedoperative surfaces 31 are brought closer together through the riding ofthe extremity 8 of the jaw 3 upon the upper wall of the recess 4 in thejaw 1, thus assisting in the clamping of the jaws upon the nut, pipe, orthe like.

lVith the bottom movable jaw in the above described advanced position,it will be clear that it co-operates with the upper stationary jawpositively preventing disengagement or movement of the aws with respectto each other and further with respect to the nut, any possibility ofthe wrench slipping from the nut thus being prevented. It will beobvious that the secure gripping is due to the operating surfaces of thejaws being at all times in parallelism so that both surfaces grip thefaces of the nut with uniform pressure throughout the length of the saidsurfaces. The operation of the wrench as upon a pipe or the like issimilar except that the toothed surfaces 32 are employed rather than thesurfaces 31.

It is understood that this invention in chides wrenches havingdifferently shaped jaws, such as a form for nuts and a form for pipes aswell as the combination type of jaw shown.

The invention having thus been described, what is claimed is 1. A wrenchhaving a longitudinal exten sion or fixed jaw, a movable jaw extendinglongitudinally of the fixed jaw and the two having opposed co-acting jawfaces longitudinally thereof, means for connecting the movable jaw tothe fixed jaw so that it may move longitudinally and so that suchlongitudinal movement varies the space between the jaw faces, one ofsaid jaws having a recess to receive one end of the other jaw andforming ashoulder or stop at each end of the recess, the other jawhaving ahead engaging said recess and having stop shoulders to engagethose of the recess and limit the longitudinal motion of the jaw, thefloor of the recess being so inclined that the head moves outward as themovable jaw is caused to close by the longitudinal movement there of.

2. A wrench having a longitudinal extension or fixed aw, a movable jawextending longitudinally of the fixed jaw and the two having opposedco-acting jaw faces longitudinally thereof, means for connecting themovable jaw to the fixed jaw so that it may move longitudinally and sothat such longitudinal movement varies the space between the jaw faces,one of said jaws having a recess to receive one end of the other jaw andforming a shoulder or stop at each end of the recess, the other jawhaving a head engaging said recess and having stop shoulders to engagethose of the recess and limit the longitudinal motion of the jaw, thefloor of the recess being so inclined that the head moves outward as themovable jaw is caused to close by the longitudinal movement thereof, theconnecting means being adjustable to initially space the jaws.

3. A wrench having a longitudinal extension or fixed jaw, a movable jawextending longitudinally of the fixed jawand the two having opposedco-acting jaw faces longitudinally thereof, pivotal link means forconnecting the movable jaw to the fixed jaw so that it may movelongitudinally and so that such longitudinal movement varies the spacebetween the aw faces, one of said aws having a recess to receive one endof the other jaw and forming a shoulder or stop at each end of therecess, the other j aw having a head engaging said recess and havingstop shoulders to engage those of the recess and limit the longitudinalmotion of the jaw, the floor of the recess being so inclined that thehead moves outward as the movable jaw is caused to close by thelongitudinal movement thereof, the stop shoulders of the head and recesspreventing the link means from moving in one direction past thatposition in which the jaws are widest open.

In testimony whereof he aflixes his signature.

J. s. MoKIBBON.

